BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


IJbrary 


W.  B.  Bancroft  &  Co's  Print,  41)  First  St.,  S.  F. 


3  I 


BANCROFT  HISTORICAL  LIBRARY 


The  Bancroft  Historical  Library  consists  of 
some  43,000  volumes,  including  printed  books, 
manuscripts,  volumes  and  original  documents, 
relating  to  the  history  of  the  westerly  portion 
of  North  America.  Consisting  largely  of  original 

z  3  documents  and  manuscript  volumes,  it  is   incap 

able  of   being  duplicated.    There  is  a  complete 
catalogue  of  this  library  on  exhibition    in    the 

|a  State  Librarian's  office,  for  the  use  of  members 

of  the  Legislature. 

No  such  complete  collection  of  historical  data 
and  materials  has  ever  been  collected,  with  refer 
ence  to  one  country,  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
It  is  widely  known  and  appreciated  by  men  of 
letters  both  in  America  and  Europe. 

The  subject  of  the  purchase  of  this  library  by 
the  State  has  excited  the  liveliest  interest 
amongst  all  classes  of  our  population.  As  evi 
dence  of  this,  we  submit  the  following  petitions 


FIB 


and  memorials,  the  originals  of  which  are  now 
on  file  in  the  State  Senate  of  California,  express 
ing  to  the  State  Legislature  the  views  of  many 
of  our  most  eminent  citizens  amongst  the  capital 
ists,  merchants,  manufacturers,  professional  and 
business  men  and  literati  not  alone  of  this  State. 

The  State  should,  own  its  history.  Other 
states  and  nations  have  galleries  of  art,  historical 
museums,  zoological  gardens  and  libraries  of 
history. 

The  State  of  California  has  begun  a  period  of 
splendid  growth.  She  may  reasonably  hope  in 
the  future  to  rank  among  the  first  of  States. 
Why  should  she  not  do  herself  this  honor  ? 

The  intense  struggle  for  wealth  in  California 
needs  the  ameliorating  influences  of  literature 
and  art.  They  will  relieve  the  pressure  upon 
our  prisons  and  asylums. 

This  library  is  marketable  abroad,  to  go  into 
some  great  university  or  national  library. 

But  local  state  pride  and  self-respect  demand 
that  it  remain  here  in  the  centre  of  the  territory 
of  which  it  is  so  magnificent  a  history. 

That  the  price  asked  the  State  is  a  reasonable 
price  is  clearly  shown  by  the  appended  appraise 
ments  and  valuations. 

It  cannot  be  hoped  that  any  merely  literary 
proposition  will  be  understood  by,  or  meet  with 
the  approval  of  all.  But  the  library  is  open  to 


and  invites  scrutiny,  and  is  first  offered  to  the 
State.  If  the  State  does  not  choose  to  buy  it,  we 
shall  at  least  have  done  our  patriotic  duty  in 
offering  the  opportunity. 

THE  HISTORY  COMPANY,  • 

N.  J.  STONE,  Manager. 

44   To  the  Legislature  of  California  : 

14  In  view  of  the  proposed  sale  of  the  collection 
41  of  some  forty  thousand  Pacific  Coast  Books, 
44  manuscripts,  maps,  pamphlets,  and  periodicals, 
44  known  as  the  Bancroft  Library,  gathered  dur- 
u  ing  a  period  of  thirty  years  at  an  expense  of 
44  over  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  dollars,  and  con- 
"  tained  in  the  building  on  Valencia  Street,  San 
u  Francisco,  erected  for  that  purpose,  we,  the 
44  undersigned,  recommend  the  purchase  of  the 
44  same  by  the  State,  and  for  the  following  reasons: 

''  ( i )  It  is  the  largest  and  most  complete  col- 
44  lection  of  California  historical  data  in  existence. 

"  (2)  It  is  the  largest  and  most  complete  col- 
44  lection  of  historical  and  judicial  data  relative 
44  to  the  western  half  of  North  America,  includ- 
44  ing  all  of  Mexico  and  Central  America. 

44  (3)   It  is  the  largest  and  most  complete  col- 


"  lection  of  original  historical  data  extant, 
"  concerning  any  state  or  nation  in  the  world. 

i 

'c  (4)  This  invaluable  material  never  can  be 
"  purchased  elsewhere ;  the  collection  never  can 
"  be  duplicated,  a  large  portion  of  it  having  no 
"  existence  elsewhere. 

"  (5)   It  is  offered  at  a  fair  price. 

"  (6)  The  necessity  having  arisen  which  com- 
"  pels  its  sale,  the  collection  will  have  to  be  sent 
"  away  to  New  York  or  London  and  there  dis- 
"  posed  of  if  the  State  does  not  purchase  it. 

a  (7)   That    such  a  vast  store    of  knowledge, 

"  such  a  treasure-house  of  our  country's  accu- 
"  mulated  experiences  and  development,  such  a 
"  treasure-house  of  history  appertaining  to  this 
"  whole  Coast  from  Alaska  to  Panama,  cohering 
"  an  area  of  one-twelfth  of  the  earth's  inhabited 
"  surface,  and  the  last  that  can  be  occupied  by 
"  civilized  man  ;  that  this  should  be  allowed  to 
"  go  abroad,  become  scattered,  and  pass  beyond 
"  the  reach  of  California  forever,  would  be  a 
"  public  calamity,  a  loss  felt  through  all  time, 
u  and  regretted  in  ever  increasing  degree  as  time 
"  rolls  by.  It  would  be  a  lasting  discredit  to 
u  California,  that  having  the  control  of  what  all 
"  the  world  might  justly  envy,  and  what  no  other 


44  nation  of  the  earth  could  ever  hope  to  attain; 
44  that  having  this  priceless  knowledge  gathered 
u  for  her  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe  and 
u  laid  at  her  feet,  a  large  portion  of  it  having 
u  been  actually  rescued  from  oblivion,  she  should 
44  fail  to  secure  and  preserve  it  for  the  present 
44  and  future  generations. 

4<  And  your  petitioners  will  ever  pray." 

Leading  Bankers. 

F.  F.  Low, 

Manager  Anglo  California  Bank 

R.  C.  Woolworth, 

of  Crocker,  Woolworth  &  Co. 

Lloyd  Tevis, 

President  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co's  Bank 

Tallant  &  Co., 
Bankers 

W.  Powell, 

Manager  Bank  of  British  Columbia 

D.  Callaghan, 

Pres't  First  National  Bank,  of  S.  F. 

C.  H.  Ramsden, 

The  California  National  Bank 

Eugene  Meyer, 

London,  Paris  and  American  Bank 

J.  A.  Donohoe, 
Bankers 

Sather  &  Co., 
Bankers 


Wm.  Lawson, 

Agent  Bank  of  British  North  America 

Chas.  Sutro, 

Sutro  &  Co. 

L.  Gottig, 

The  German  Savings  and  Loan  Society 

Adolph  C.  Weber, 

Pres't  Humboldt  Savings  and  Loan  Society 

Ernest  Brand, 

Sec'y  Humboldt  Savings  and  Loan  Society 

Robert  J.  Tobin, 

Hibernia  Savings  and  Loan  Society 

D.  C.  McRuer, 

Real  Estate,  23^  Post  Street 

Belloc  &  Cie., 

Bankers, 'per  H.  Barroilhet 

S.  H.  Bigelow, 

Bay  City  Iron  Works 

P.  Husson, 

French  Savings  Bank 

Jas.  H.  Goodman, 

of  J.  H.  Goodman  &  Co.,  Napa,  Cal. 

James  G.  Fair, 

Security  Savings  Co. 

Geo.  T.  Mayre,  Jr. 

Capitalist,  234  Montgomery  Street 

Judge  John  Currey, 

Capitalist,  32  Merchants'  Ex.,  Palace  Hotel 

H.  J.  Baldwin, 
Capitalist 


R.  F.  Bunker, 
Capitalist 

Daniel  Meyer, 
Capitalist 

R.  R.  Thompson, 

Banker  and  Capitalist 

Edward  Barrow, 
Capitalist 

Jas.  Freeborn, 
Capitalist 

J.  D.  Fry, 

Capitalist 

W.  H.  Dimond, 

Ag't  P.  M.  S.  S.  Co. 

Alfred  H.  Cohen, 
Capitalist 

Leading    Merchants    and   Capi 
talists: 

\Ym.  T.  Coleman  &  Co. 

Wm.  N.  Dunphy 

Baker  &  Hamilton 

Henry  Vrooman 

F.  Barnard 

J.  D.  S.  La  Montanya 

Balfour,  Guthrie  &  Co., 

Union  Iron  Works, 
By  H.  T.  Scott 

Sam'l  Blair 


Miller  &  Lux 

B.  Dreyfus  &  Co. 

Navarro  Mill  Co., 

By  Robert  G.  Bryderf 

Jas.  W.  Phelan 
J.  W.  Grace  &  Co. 
Parrott  &  Co. 
G.  T.  Lawton 
Jas.  M.  Donahue 
Moore  &  Smith 
Renton,  Holmes  &  Co. 
J.  C.  Wilmerding 

C.  Deweese,  Jr. 
Russ,  Sanders  &  Co. 
Kittle  &  Co. 
Hansen  &  Co. 

W.  J.  Adams, 

By  E.  P.  Blake 

John  Dolbeer 

For  Starr  &  Co.  H.  M.  A.  Miller,  Sec'y 

Albert  Dibblee 
S.  L-  Jones 
John  W.  Allyne 
McCarthy  Bros.  &  Co. 
E.  A.  Fargo  &  Co. 
Nicholas  Luning 
E.  &  S.  Heller 
Thomas  Bell  &  Co. 
Judson  &  Shepard 


Macondray  &  Co. 

A.  J.  Ralston 

Reiss  Bros.  &  Co. 

Preston  &  McKinnon 

Hinkley,  Spiers  &  Hayes 

Phoenix  Iron  Works 

Scholler  Bros. 

Charles  Webb  Howard 

H    Schussler 

James  R.  Bolton 

Wm.  Nuns 

Sisson,  Crocker  &  Co. 

Meyerstein  &  Lowenberg 

L.  W.  Rosenstock  &  Co. 

Mintz  Nickelsberry 

Charles  Oppenheimer  &  Co. 

Banner  Bros. 

Stein,  Simon  &  Co. 

Risdon  Iron  Works 

Rankin,  Brayton  &  Co. 

Marshutz  &  Cantrell 

H.  P.  Gregory 

Joshua  Hendy  Machine  Works 

W.  W.  Montague 

Livingston  &  Co. 

Wm.  Dunphy 

Parke  &  Lacy 

Pacific  Saw  Manufacturing  Co. 

Hecht  Bros.  &  Co. 


H.  L.  Dodge 
Whittier,  Fuller  &  Co. 
Siegfried  &  Brandenstein  , 
H.  Levi  &  Co. 
Coghill  £  Simon 
California  Hosiery  Co. 
Kohler  &  Frohling 
Louis  Sloss  &  Co. 
Bauer  Bros.  &  Co. 
Goodall,  Perkins  &  Co. 
Greenebaum  &  Co. 

A.  S.  Hallidie 
Arpad  Haraszthy 
Geo.  T.  Hawley 
W.  R.  S.  Toye 

Truman,  Ishman  &  Hooker 
Adam  Grant 

Greenbaum,  Weil  &  Michels 
H.  M.  Newhall&'Co. 
Neuburger,  Reiss  &  Co. 
Held  Bros  &  Co. 
Falkner,  Bell  &  Co. 
Buchanan  Bros. 
Albert  Man  &  Co. 
Geo.  W.  Meade  &  Co. 
And.  Carrigan 

B.  F.  Dunham 
Wellman,  Peck  &  Co. 
Edward  Kruse 


II 


G.  M.  Josselyn 
W.  P  Jones 

Charles  Holbrook 

» 

S.  Lachman  &  Co. 

Langley  &  Michaels 

Levi  Strauss 

James  O.  Rountree  &  Sons 

Lilienthal  &  Co. 

Lachman  &  Jacob! 

Tatum  &  Bowen 

A.  B.  Elfelt  &  Co. 

Lovell  White 

A.  M.  Simpson  &  Bros. 

Root  &  Sanderson, 

At  what  it  is  undoubtedly  worth 

C.  E.  Whitney  &  Co. 
Yates  &  Co. 
J.  C.  Merrill  &  Co. 
Merry.  Faull  &  Co. 
E.  L.  G.  Steele  &  Co. 
W.  B.  Wilshire  &  Co. 
Walter  S.   Newhall 
Bothin  Dallemand  &  Co. 
Naane  Mathers 
J.  N.  Knowles 
Ackerman,  Block  &  Co. 
John  Taylor  &  Co. 
Neustadter  Bros. 
Cahn,  Nichelsberg  &  Co. 


Brown  Bros.  &  Co. 
J.  S.  Bowman  &  Co. 
F.  Fillmann 
James  R.  Kelly  &  Co. 
William  Wolff  Co. 
Brigham,  Hoppe  &  Co. 
Harmon  &  Dickson 
L.  &  E.  Wertheimer 
Gage,  Shattuck  &  Co. 
Platshek  &  Harris 
Nolan  Bros. 
Redington  &  Co. 
Kohler  &  Van  Bergen 
Bujer  &   Reiche 
H.  T.  Holmes 
Kline  &  Cope 
B.  Blumenthal  &  Co. 
W.  Cohen  &  Co. 
Martin  Sachs  &  Co. 

D.  N.  &  E.  Walter  &  Co. 
Robert  Haight  &  Co. 
American  Salt  Co. 

E.  Guittard  &  Co. 
Hammer,  Leist  &  Co. 
Davis  Howell 

E.  R.  Stevens 
Geo.  R.  Starr  &  Co. 
Code,  Elfelt  &  Co. 
Pacific  Fruit  Co. 


Neville  &  Co. 
John  Cutting  &  Co. 
S.  £  G.  Gump 


Leading     Manufacturers    and 
Capitalists : 

W.  T.  Garratt 
D.  Henshaw  Ward 
Carolan,  Cory  £  Co. 
The  John  T.  Cutting  Co. 
Coit  &  Folsom 

Allen  £  Higgins  Lumber  Co. 
Per  F.  H.  Allen,  Pres't. 

Louis  Braverman 

D.  E.  Cotton, 

C?  Nutting  &  Son, 

Thos.  H.  Selby  &  Co. 
H.  H.  Bros. 

American  Oil  Co. 

Per  Josiah  O.  Low,  Sec'y. 

Frank  Brothers, 

Arnold  Hardware  Co. 

Per  N.  S.  Arnold,  President 

Sperry  &  Co. 

Deming  Palmer  Milling  Co. 
D.  H.  Vail,  Sec'y 

Siebe,  Camp  £  Co. 
Sinsheimer  Bros. . 


'4 


Samuel  Moore  &  Co. 

E.  B.  Pond, 

Mayor  of  San  Francisco 

William  Cluff  &  Co. 
Hooper  &  Jennings 


Real    Estate   Owners,   Dealers 
and  Capitalists : 

Bovee,  Toy  &  Co. 
Hurd,  Umbsen  &  Co. 
Madison  &  Burke 
McAlester  &  Jones 
McAffee  Brothers 
S.  P.  Middleton 
Stauder  &  Shattuck 
Chas.  C.  Fisher 
Lowe  &  Kenny 
J.  B.  Lewis  &  Son 
Albert  E.  Crane 

B.  P.  Oliver 

C.  H.  Reynolds 

0.  D.  Baldwin 
John  T.  Little 
S.  Oesterreicher 
Handley  &  Jones 

1.  Strassburger 
David  Stern  &  Son 
Geo.  W.  Chapiii 

J.  C.  Green 


Insurance  Companies,   Manag 
ers  and  Capitalists : 

D.  J.  Staples, 

President  of  Fireman's  Fund  Ins.  Co. 

Win.  Greer  Harrison, 

Manager  of  Thames  and  Mersey  Marine  Ins.  Co. 
Limited 

Gnstave  Touchard 

* 

Chas.  A.  Laton 
J.  F.  Hough  ton 
L,.  L.  Bromwell 
Hutchinson  &  Mann 
Georg    C.  Boardmaii 
Hugh  Craig 
Conrad  &   Maxwell 
Jones  £  Eastman 
Brown,  Craig  &  Co. 
J.  B.  Davis  &  Son 
The  California  Ins.  Co. 

The    Union    Fire    &    Marine    Ins.   Co.    of  New 

Zealand 

A 
\\  estchester  Ins.  Co., 

A.  C.  Donnell,  General  Agent 

Jabez  Howes. 

Manager  of  Union  Mutual  Life  Ins.  Co. 

The    New    Zealand  Loan  &    Mercantile  Agency 
Co.  L'd., 

Walter  La  wry,  Manager 

Herbert   Folger 


i6 

Jones  &   Person 
Edward  L.  Wood 

Wm.  D.  Garland, 

Manager  of  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society 

F.  R.  Noyes, 

Agent  Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Co. 

John  H.  Stevens, 

Manager  ^Etna  Life  Insurance  Co. 

W.  W.  Haskell, 

Gen'l  Agent  Traveler's  Life  Ins.  Co.  of  Hartford, 
Conn. 

Butler  &  Haldan 

Brooks  &  Baldwin  ^ 

A.  J.  Bryant 

Manheim,  Staples  &  Co.,  G.  A. 

C.  F.  Mullens 

W.  J.  Callingham 

Thos.  C.  Grant 

Alexander  Badlam 

Wallace  Everson 

Chas.  D.  Haven 

J.  A.  Patton, 

Sec'y  of  The  Pacitic  Mutual  Life  Ins.  Co.  of  Cal. 

[no.  R.  Hillman 
Harry  W.  Syz 
J.  W.  Mailliard 

Geo.  D.  Dornin 
Hurschfield   &  Jacob 
Smith  &  Moody 


Henry  K.  Belden 
N.  W.  Winton 
M.  J.  Quirk 
A.  B.  Forbes 
Jas.  R.  Garniss 
C.  P.  Farnfield 
R.  N.  Dickson 
Coffin  &  Sanderson 
Page  Brothers 
Alex.  G.  Hawes 
Snow  &  Pettis 


Officers,    Regents    and    Profes 
sors  of  the  State  University. 

Edward  S.  H olden 

President  California  State  University 

Bernard  Moses 

Professor  of  History  and  Political  Economy 

John  LeConte 

Professor  of  Physics,  University  of  California 

Joseph  LeConte 

Professor  of  Geology  and  Natural  History 

Wm.  Carey  Jones 

Professor  of  Roman  and  Constitutional  I^aw 

George  H.  Howison 

Mills'  Professor  of  Intellectual  and  Moral  Philos 
ophy  and  Civil  Polity 

John  F.  Swift 


Wm.  T.  Wallace 

J.  West  Martin 

At  a  fair  price  I  am   strongly  in  favor  of  the  purchase 
of  the  Library  by  the  State 

C.  B.  Bradley 

Assistant  Professor  of  the  English  Language  and 
Literature 

F.  H.  Stoddard 

Instructor  of  the  English  Language  and  Literature 

Irving  Stringham  . 

Professor  of  Mathematics,  University  of  Cal. 

John  B.  Mhooii 

Attorney  for  Board  of  Regents 

George  C.  Edwards 

Assistant  Professor  of  Mathematics 

J.  C.  Rowell 

Librarian 

W.  B.  Rising 

Professor  of  Chemistry  and  State  Analyst 

Bug.  W.  Hilgard 

Professor  of  Agriculture 

Chas.  A.  Ramm 

• 

Recorder 

F.  W.  Morse 

Assistant  in  Agricultural  Laborator}r 

J.  J.  Rivers 

Curator  of  Museum 

M.  E.  Jaffa 

First  Assistant,  Viticultural  Laboratory 


rg 


J.  E.  Colby 

Second  Assistant,  Viticultural  Laboratory 

Albert  S.  Cook 

Professor  of  English  Language  and  Literature 

J.  G.  Heise 

Professor  of  Mechanical  Engineering 


Eminent  Clergymen 

Horatio  Stebbins 

J.  H.  Prendergast 

Virur  General  of  California 

C.  D.  Barrows 

Wm.  Ingraham  Kip 

Bishop  of  California 

N.  L-  Rowell 

J.  Movell 

Robert  Mackenzie 

F.  D.  Bovard 
Frank  F.  Jewell 
John  Q.  Adams 
S.  P.  Sprecher 
William  S.  Neales 
T.  K.  Noble 

W.  S.  Urmy 
Wm.  C.  Pond 

G.  L-  Spining 
C.  V.  Anthony 
A.  B.  Mildrom 


Geo.  Burrows 
Jas.  Matthews 
P.  J.  Grey 
J.  C.  Eastman 
A.  L.  Stone 
Wm.  W.    Davis 
M.  M.  Gibson 
P.  W.   Riordan 

Archbishop  of  San  Francisco 

Eminent  Educators 

James  K.  Wilson 
John  Swett 
James  Denman 

Ira  G.  Hoitt 

State  Sup't  of  Public  Instruction 

A.  Herbst 
E.  Knowlton 

J.  W.  Anderson 

City  Supt.  Schools 

A.  L.  Mann 
Reginald  H.  Webster 
W.  N.  Birsh 
Frank  Morton 
A.  E.  Kellogg 
A.  T.  Winn 
Albert  Lyser 

Silas  A.  White, 

•     Principal  Valencia  School 

Elisha  Brooks 


J.  O.  Connor 

Dept.  Supt.  Commercial  Schools 

D.  C.  Stone 

Ex.  Dept.  Supt.  Schools 

Andrew  J.  Moulder 

Ex-Superintendent  of  Schools 

Professor  Georee  Davidson 


Judges  and  Attorneys 

Lorenzo  Sawyer 

Judge  U.  S.  Circuit  Court 

Jno.  A.  Stanly 

M.  H.  Myrick 

Justice  Supreme  Court 

Ogden  Hoffman 

Judge  U.  S.  District  Court 

G.  Frank  Smith 

J.  R.  Sharpstein 

Justice  Supreme  Court 

Milton  Andros 
Hall  McAllister 
Jos.  W.  Winans 
T.  I.  Bergin 
W.  C.  Burnett 
Jas.  McM.  Shafter 

J.  N.  E.  Wilson 

State  Senator 

J.  P.  Hoge  f  .      • 

Carroll  Cooke 


22 


John  H.  Boalt 
Jas.  Thos.  Boyd 
Henry  C.  Dibble 
John  R.  Jarboe 

At  its  actual  value 

A.  P.  Van  Duzer 

A.  A.  Sargent 
Ralph  C.  Harrison 
E.  B.  Mastick 
W.  W.  Cope 
W.  C.  Belcher 
Joseph  D.  Redding 

At  a  fair  valuation  I  think  the  State  should  purchase 
this  most  valuable  collection  of  books  and  manuscripts. 

R.  A.  Thompson 
E.  W.  McKinstry 

I  am  not  fully  advised  as  to  the  price  proposed,  but 
think  the  State  should  be  the  purchaser  if  possible. 

John  T.  Doyle 

I  agree  with  Mr.  Doyle 

D.  M.  Delmas 

Arthur  Rodgers 
Oliver  P.  Evins 
John  H.  Dickinson 
David  McClure 
Edward  J.  Pringle 
Richard  Tobin 


Warren  Olney 
Sidney  V.  Smith 
F.  G.  Newlands 

I  do  not  know  at  what  price  the  offer  of  sale  is  made 
nor  can  I  say  what  a  fair  price  would  be,  but  at  a  fair 
price  the  State  should  purchase  the  collection. 

George  R.  B.  Hayes 

I  think  the  library  should  be  purchased  by  the  State 
and  heartily  recommend  purchase. 

Selden  S.  Wright 

I  think  the  purchase  should  be  made  at  a  fair  price. 
It  is  very  important  that  the  State  should  own  this 
collection. 

S.  G.  Hilbron 
Chas.  N.  Fox 
Jas.  G.  Maguire 

At  a  fair  price  I  think  the  purchase  very  desirable. 

E.  C.  Marshall 
H.  D.  Sawyer 

I  concur  in  what  is  above  stated  by  Mr.  Marshall 

James  D.  Thornton 

I  agree  with  Mr.  Marshall 

Thomas  B.  Bishop 
George  Flournoy,  Jr. 
George  E.  Bates 
W.  F.  Goad 
Wm.  H.  Sharp 


24 

At  a  fair  price  I  think  the  purchase  advisable. 
J.  J.  Scrivner 

George  Hearst,  U.  S.  Senator 
W.  H.  Creed 

Wigginton,  Creed  &  Hawes 
Frank  M.  Stone 
Patrick  Reddy 
S.  B.  McKee,  Jr. 

At  a  fair  price  I  recommend  the  purchase. 
A.  Comte,  Jr. 
Win.  H.  Sears 
E.  T.  Preston 

Yes,  at  a  fair  price. 

M.  M.  Estee 
Geo.  A.  Knight 
Wm.  W.  Morrow 
H.  J.  Tilden 

I   sincerely  trust   that   this  purchase   may  be   made 
at  what  the  property  is  reasonably  worth. 

T.  K.  Wilson 
John  F.  Finn 


The  following  is  a  Memorial  signed 
by  Prominent  Officials,  etc.,  of  States 
and  Territories  adjacent  to  California. 

To  the  Legislature  of  California  : 

Being  informed  that  the  Bancroft  Library  of  Pacific 
Coast  historical  material  is  to  be  offered  for  sale  to 
the  State  of  California,  we  beg  leave  respectfully  to 
express  our  high  opinion  regarding  the  importance  and 
value  of  the  collection  to  the  entire  country  and  to  indulge 
in  the  hope  that  the  same  will  be  preserved  as  a  whole  to 
the  people  of  this  section  for  the  purpose  of  permanent 
and  general  reference.  We  regard  the  collection  of  special 
value  to  Montana,  as  containing  much  historic  material 
relating  to  our  Territory,  nowhere  else  in  existence. 

Helena,  Montana. 

Decius  S.  Wade, 

Chief  Justice  of  Montana. 

Alex.  C.  Botkin 
Samuel  A.  Balliet 
R.  Lockey 
E.  W.  McNeal 
W.  E.  Frederick 
Massena  Bullard. 


26 


Colorado. 

Wilbur  F.  Stone 

Ex-Justice  Supreme  Court 

R.  W.  Woodbury 

Pres.  of  Union  Bank  and  Chamber  of  Commerce 

Benjamin  H.  Eaton 

Governor  of  Colorado 

D.  N.  Moffat 

Pres.  of  First  National  Bank  of  Denver,  Col. 

\Vm.  B.  Beck 

Chief  Justice  of  Supreme  Court 

S.  H.  Elbert 

Justice  of  Supreme  Court 

James  A,.  Miller 

Clerk  of  Supreme  Court,  Colorado 

Jos.  T.  Boyd 

Perrote  Secretary 

L.  S.  Cornell 

Supt.   Public  Instruction 

George  C.  Munson 

Assayer  in  Charge,  U.  S.  Mint 

Jos.  C.  Helm 

Justice  Supreme  Court 

Theodore  H.  Thomas 
Attorney  General 

James  A.  Dawson 

U.  S.  Surveyor  General 

Melvin  Edwards 

Secretary  of  State 

Hiram  A.  Spruaiice 

Auditor  of  State 

George  R.  Swallow 
State  Treasurer 


27 

Nevada. 

J.  W.  Adams 

Governor  of  Nevada 

O.  R.  Leonard 

Justice  of  Supreme  Court 

Jno.  P.  Jones 

U.  S.  Senator 


Idaho. 

Edward  A.  Stevenson 

Governor  of  Idaho 

E.  J.  Curtis 

Secretary  of  Idaho 

Silas  W.  Moody, 

Controller,  Idaho  Ty. 

Dr.  J.  L.  Stevens 

Jos.  Perrault 

Territorial  Treasurer 

Alfred  Eoff 

Cashier,  National  Bank  of  Boise  City 

E.  B.  Tage, 

Courty  Treasurer,  Ada  Co. 

Milton  Kelly, 

Idaho  Statesman 

B.  S.  Prickett 

Probate  Judge  elect 

T.  J.  Curtis 

Probate  Judge  Ada  County 


C.  S    McConnell 

Auditor  and  Recorder,  Ada  County 

Malachi  Krebs 

Editor  of  Idaho  Statesman 

Dr.  Ephriam  Smith 
Wm.  H.  Nye 

D.  P.  B.  Pride 

Attorney-General  of  Idaho 

A.  G.  Red  way 

Assistant  Cashier  First  National  Bank 

Jas.  A.  Pinney 

Ex- May  or  Boise  City 

Wm.  B.  Chandle..- 

Ex-Surveyor  General,  Idaho 

Utah. 

Caleb  W.  West 

Governor  of  Utah 

Arthur  L.  Thomas 

Secretary  of  State 
Frank  H.  Dyer 

C.  C.  Goodwin 
William  Nelson 
Charles  S.  Zane 
Thomas  Marshall 

E.  A.  Wall 

R.  C.  Chambers 

George  R.  Maxwell 

C.  W.  Bennett 

Eli  H.  Murray,  Ex  Governor 

John  R.  McBride 

B.  G.  Raybould 


Two  other  Memorials  will  be  of  especial 
interest  in  this  connection,  and  we  append  them 
as  follows: 

Memorial  of  Eminent  Scientists  in  the  employ 
of  the  U.  S.  Government  at  Washington,  con 
cerning  the  purchase  of  the  Bancroft  Historical 
Library  by  the  State  of  California.  - 

To  the  Legislature  of  California :    , 

Understanding  that  the  collection  of  booksf 
pamphlets,  periodicals,  manuscripts,  and  maps, 
comprising  the  library  of  Mr.  Hubert  Howe 
Bancroft,  of  San  Francisco,  is  to  be  disposed  of 
by  sale,  the  undersigned,  impressed  with  the  im 
portance  to  Historical  Science,  of  preserving  the 
collection  intact,  would  most  respectfully  recom 
mend  the  purchase  of  the  same  by  the  State  of 
California. 

This  unprecedentedly  exhaustive  collection  of 
original  material  relating  to  the  history,  not  only 
of  the  State  of  California,  but  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  generally,  including  Mexico  and  Central 
America  in  their  entirety,  has  been  accumulated 
by  indefatigable  research,  extending  over  a  third 
of  a  century,  and  at  a  large  expenditure  of  money; 


30 

and  it  can  never  be  duplicated  in  whole  or  in 
great  part.  It  is  believed  that  it  can  be  pur 
chased  at  a  fair  price;  and  it  would  seem  that  the 
State  of  California  cannot  afford  to  see  these 
treasures,  now  at  her  capital  city,  pass  from  her 
to  be  dispersed  and  lost  forever.  Let  her  secure 
for  her.  archives  these  urlique  and  inestimable 
sources  of  the  history  of  her  own  rise  and  pro 
gress,  and  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  States 
and  countries  about  her, "and  she  will  have  done  a 
service  to  herself,  to  history,  and  to  all  mankind; 
and  your  petitioners  will  ever  pray. 

J.   W.    Powell, 

Director  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  Washing 
ton,  D.  C. 

Prof.  O.  C.   Marsh, 

Yale  College. 

Prof.  Theo.   Gill, 

Columbian  University. 

Prof.  G.   K.  Gilbert, 

U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 

H.  W.    Henshaw. 

In  charge  of  Linguistic  Division,  Bureau  of  Ethnol 
ogy,  Smithsonian  Institution,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Prof.  O.   Mason, 

Curator   Department    Ethnology,    U.     S.    N.    M., 
formerly  of  the  Columbia  University. 

Prof.  Lester  F.  Ward, 
Geologist  U.  S.  G.  S. 


Prof.    F.   \Y.   Clarke, 

Chief  Chemist  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 

Prof.   Wm.    Harkness. 

Professor  Mathematics,  U.  S.  Navy. 

\V.    B.    Powell, 

Superintendent  of  Public  Schools  for  the  District  of 
Columbia. 

Prof.   C.   V.    Riley, 

Chief  Entomologist  Department  of  Agriculture, 
formerly  Chief  U.  S.  Entomological  Commis 
sion,  Entomologist,  U.  S.  National  Museum, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Wm.  J.  Rhees, 

Chief  Clerk  Smithsonian  Institution. 

W.  H.  Holmes, 

Geologist  etc.,  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey. 

Edward  D.  Cope, 

A.   M.  Ph.  D.,  Member  U.  S.   National  Academy. 

•tNCfWl 

J.  Belknap  Marcon,  ui«Aiwr 

Dis.  Geologist,  U.  S.  G.  S. 

James  Stevenson, 

Executive  Office,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 


Memorial  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Mon 
tana,  in  favor  of  the  pitrchase  by  the  State  of 
California,  ,pf  the  Bancroft  Historical  Library. 

The  Historical  Society  of  Montana,  incorpo 
rated  by  the  Legislative  Assembly,  February  2nd, 
1865.  ' 

President — Wilbur  F.  Sanders, 
Helena. 

Vice-  President — Gran ville  Stuart, 
Fort  Maginnis. 

Corresponding  Secretary — William  E.  Cullen, 
Helena. 

Recording  Secretary — Cornelius  Hedges, 
Helena. 

Treasurer — Samuel  L.  Hauser, 
Helena. 

Librarian — William  F.  Wheeler, 
Helena. 


Helena,  Montana,  Dec.  3,  1886. 
To  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  California : 

Gentlemen: 

The  Historical  Society  of  Montana,  organized 
by  virtue  of  an  Act  of  the  Legislative  Assembly 
of  this  Territory,  is  engaged  in  collecting  and  col 
lating  historical  data  pertaining  to  the  western 
regions  of  the  United  States. 


33 

Its  members  have  been  deeply  impressed  with 
the  value  of  that  collection  of  books  and  manu 
scripts  gathered  by  Mr.  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft, 
one  of  your  own  citizens,  and  are  unitedly  of  the 
opinion  that  no  such  collection  can  be  found  else 
where. 

While  Mr.  Bancroft,  with  a  generosity  which 
could  not  be  demanded,  has  placed  the  use  of  this 
collection  in  the  hands  of  any  society  interested 
in  historical  inquiry,  it  can  neither  be  expected  nor 
hoped  that  such  a  collection  should  be  proffered 
by  a  private  citizen  ;  and  they  are  of  the  opinion 
that  some  organization  or  municipality  should  own 
it  which  will  manage,  preserve  and  protect  it  for 
public  uses.  The  region  of  country  to  which  our 
attention  has  been  more  particularly  directed  has 
not  received  that  attention  which  its  consequence 
demands  ;  and  this  Society  has  been  long  engaged 
in  gathering  from  remote  regions  whatever  per 
tained  to  the  early  history  of  our  northern  posses 
sions  on  either  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

"We  have  been  able  to  secure  some  data  to  St. 
Louis  and  other  regions,  but  the  industry  and 
advantages  of  Mr.  Bancroft  have  enabled  him  to 
obtain  information,  documents  and  manuscripts 
pertaining  to  this  portion  of  our  common  country, 
in  an  abundance  which  far  transcends  our  own. 

This  society  feels  deeply  interested,  therefore, 
that  the  manuscript  and  documents  of  Mr. 


34 

Bancroft's  collection  may  find  a  permanent  place 
in  the  public  archives  of  your  State,  and  we 
respectfully  petition  your  Honorable  bodies,  if 
you  deem  it  consistent  with  the  public  welfare,  to 
procure  this  vast  collection  and  to  care  for  it  for 
the  use  of  all"  citizens  of  the  United .  States  who 
shall,  in  the  years  to  come,  desire  to  find  something 
illustrative  of  the  early  history  and  settlement  of 
the  interior  and  western  portions  of  our  common 
country. 

In  thus  addressing  you,  from  a  region  some 
what  remote  from  your  own  State,  our  apology 
and  excuse  must  be  that  we  have  found  in  this 
collection  much  material  which  will  enable  us  to 
trace  the  early  enterprise  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
west,  who  at  one  time  or  another  experienced 
strange  vicissitudes  within  the  limits  of  what  is 
now  the  Territory  of  Montana. 

In  behalf  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Mon 
tana,  we  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servants, 

W.  F.  SANDERS, 

President. 

W.   E.   CULLEN, 

Corresponding  Secretary. 

CORNELIUS  HEDGES, 

Recording  Secretary. 


35 


The  value  of  the  Library  is  shown  by  the  fol 
lowing  certificates  of  appraisement,  made  by  the 
best  authorities  accessible  on  this  Coast. 

Appraisement  and  certificate  of  value  of  the 
Bancroft  Historical  Library  by  the  Librarians  of 
the  public  libraries  of  California  and  others. 

We,  the  undersigned,  are  of  the  opinion  that 
the  library  of  Pacific  Coast  books,  maps,  manu 
scripts,  and  files  of  periodicals  in  the  possession 
of  Hubert  H.  Bancroft,  and  contained  in  the 
building  erected  by  him  for  the  purpose,  on 

Valencia  Street,  San  Francisco,  is  worth  the  sum 

• 

of  two   hundred   and   fifty   thousand  dollars,  and 
would  be  a  fair  and  proper  purchase  on   the  part 

of  the  State  of  California  at  that  price. 

/ 

Jos.  W.  Winans. 

Jno.  S.  Hager, 

Collector  of  Port. 

F.  B.  Perkins, 

Librarian  Public  Library. 

Alfred  E.  Whitaker, 

Librarian  Mercantile  Library. 

F.  P.  Deering, 

Librarian  Law  Library. 


George  A.  Carnes, 

Librarian  Odd  Fellows'  Library 

Horace  Wilson, 

Librarian  Mechanics'  Library. 

Horace  H.  Moore, 

Ex.  Librarian  Mercantile  Library. 

T..H.  Wallis, 

State  Librarian 

J.  C.  Rowell, 

Librarian  State  University. 

E.  S.  Lippitt, 

Sec.  Trustees  Petaluma  Library. 

I  have  very  frequently  consulted  the  Library  in  my 
studies  and  investigations. 

Prof.  George  Davidson 

Wm.  Ashburner 
Horatio  Stebbins 

Lorenzo  Sawyer 

(Judge  U.  S.  Circuit  Court.) 

Ogden   Hoffman 

(Judge  U .  S.  District  Court.) 

Jno.  R.  Jarboe 
Ralph  C.   Harrison 


37 


As  a  sample  of  the  practical  utility  of  the 
original  documents  contained  in  this  collection, 
we  append  a  memorial  of  the  U.  S.  District 
Attorney  of  California,  concerning  the  use  of 
original  documents  from  the  Bancroft  Historical 
Library,  in  the  trial  of  the  recent  case  to  deter 
mine  the  title  to  Mare  Island. 


SAN  FRANCISCO,  Nov.  4,  1886. 
To  the  Governor  and  Legislature  of  California: 

I  can  not  too  strongly  urge  upon  the  State  the 
purchase  of  the  Bancroft  collection  of  Pacific 
Coast  books  and  manuscripts.  Aside  from  its 
wealth  of  historic  material,  which  is  of  the  live 
liest  interest  to  all  Californians,  the  value  and 
utility  of  the  mass  of  original  documents  therein 
stored,  has  lately  passed  under  my  notice  in  a 
practical  way. 

In  a  suit  recently  tried  in  our  United  States 
Circuit  Court,  involving  the  title  of  the  United 
States  to  the  tract  of  land  upon  which  our  Navy 
Yard  is  located,  and  upon  which  the  Government 
has  expended  millions  of  dollars,  it  was  important 


38 

to  have  the  signature  of  a  certain  Spanish 
document  only  to  be  found  in  Mr.  Bancroft's 
collection. 

This  he  courteously  placed  at  my  disposal 
The  desirability  of  having    this  collection  kept 
in  the  State  where  reference  can  be  had  to  it,  is 
beyond  question  and    I   earnestly  trust    the  pur 
chase  will  be  made. 

Very  respectfully, 

S.   G.   HILBORN, 

United  States  Attorney. 


